Peter Hammill

Peter Joseph Andrew Hammill, also known as Rodney Sofa, Ego, Rikki Nadir, K, Sonix, “the Hendrix of the voice”, or simply Peter Hammill, is a british singer and songwriter born 5 November 1948, in the suburb of Ealing, west London. He is one of the earliest examples of a truly independent artist, writing, composing, playing, producing and releasing (under his own FIE! Records label) his music almost by himself on a prolific and eclectic solo career which already comprises more than forty studio albums – not counting his works with his band Van der Graaf Generator – over these more than fifty years on activity.

Frequent subjects that influence or theme his lyrics are philosophy, history, depth psychology, existential matters, religion – though he ceased practicing, Hammill had Jesuit order Catholic teachings in his childhood and teens – society and politics, but also, on the other way, very personal questions such as love and lonelines.

While studying at Manchester University, Hammill, alongside with his fellow friends, drummer Nick Pearne and keyboardist/saxophonist Chris Judge Smith, formed what would be the first lineup of the aforementioned progressive rock group Van der Graaf Generator, in 1967.

Peter Hammill is mostly know by his work with VdGG, but since 1971, when he released his solo LP Fool’s Mate, under Charisma Records – which released both Van der Graaf’s and Hammill’s most acclaimed bodies of work – and primarily after the first breakup of his band in 1972, he has been developing a very adventurous, eclectic, unorthodox and prolific solo career. Over his discography, Hammill, as a renaissance man he is, proved to be efficient in various musical languages, from the very “proggy” rock reminiscent from Van der Graaf, to intimate piano/acoustic guitar based and lyrically focused songs, fine art rock entries, electronic, avant-garde, new wave, etc. He even helped, in 1975, to pave the path to what would be punk rock with his classic studio album Nadir’s Big Chance. In 2021, released his first covers album, ranging from Classical to American Songbook, Italian pop and tango songs, called In Translation. In fact, Peter Hammill has always been quite unpredictable.

Some of his illustrious self declared fans are John Lydon, Nick Cave and Mark E. Smith. Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson once claimed that Hammill – alongside with other prog vocalists – is a big infleunce on him vocally. David Bowie himself (who is often compared with PH by listeners of both artists) once stated that he was “the poor man’s Peter Hammill”.